The Can Review

When I was diagnosed with cancer, I learned very quickly that illness has a way of taking over – not just your body, but your sense of identity, your routine, even your imagination. It becomes the headline, the main character in your life. But being creative – working on a blog about my experience and throwing myself into writing a (completely unrelated) novel – helped me push back. It reminded me that I was more than a diagnosis. I was still me.

During treatment, and on the slow road to recovery, there were days when I didn’t feel like myself, and days when I didn’t feel like doing anything at all. But even then, I found comfort in the simple act of putting words on a page. It gave me a sense of control in an uncontrollable situation. Writing let me name what I was feeling, even when my feelings were messy or complicated or hard. Sometimes it helped me escape; other times it helped me understand. Either way, it was a lifeline.

That’s why The Can Review means so much. It’s not just a magazine – it’s a space for young people to show the world who they are, beyond cancer. A space for joy, humor, grief, rage, beauty, weirdness, imagination – all the things that make you you. Whether you’re scribbling in a notebook, painting in a hospital bed, creating on an iPad, or typing out a story on your phone, what you’re doing matters. It’s brave. It’s important. And it will help others feel seen, too.

If you’re in the middle of treatment right now, or finding your way through the aftershocks, I want you to know this: You are not alone. Your voice matters. Your creativity is a kind of superpower. And the stories you tell – whatever form they take – can light the way for someone else.

I’m so honored to be part of this issue, and I can’t wait to read what you’ve created!
With admiration, understanding, and hope,
Christina Baker Kline
Author of the #1 New York Times bestselling novel Orphan Train